Ncis: Origins vs. NCIS: How young Gibbs' Flaws Became Harmon's Strengths!
A Young Gibbs' Rocky Start: How NCIS: Origins Sets Up the Legend
NCIS: Origins gives us a glimpse into a younger Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell), before he became that iconic NCIS legend portrayed by Mark Harmon. This prequel digs into Gibbs' early career, the tragic events surrounding his family (the murder of his wife Shannon and daughter Kelly by a drug dealer) which greatly impacts how this entire series’ storyline continues. It also focuses on Gibbs’ relationships with key individuals he met such as Mike Franks and also that other very important agent known as Lala Dominguez (Mariel Molino), these plot elements set up various thematic and plot considerations which helped greatly in influencing how that story arc eventually unfolds and its unexpected impacts throughout the season! This initial part emphasizes this darker, more vulnerable side of Gibbs, creating several problems which ultimately shaped him for the better.
Harmon himself even returned as the older Gibbs, narrating the story (this also includes showing some surprising appearances in early episodes!), but Stowell is the star here. And what makes Stowell's portrayal particularly interesting? We witness those very key elements— those surprising plot elements regarding the formation of those important qualities that Gibbs possessed. This early iteration shows an impulsive, emotionally charged agent. It works sometimes, but more often, it really gets him into a great deal of trouble. What’s the problem? Well, at this stage, he hasn’t earned that reputation for clever planning and those super intelligent deductions which made him such a great asset to his own team and to others! His earlier behavior might suggest instability and some deep issues. Will those problematic aspects ever be resolved, leaving that impressive final image and reputation he achieves much, much later?
Young Gibbs' Risky Decisions: The Seeds of a Great Leader
In NCIS: Origins’ season 1, episode 3 (“Bend, Don’t Break”), Gibbs does something truly reckless, he uses an emergency brake lever to keep a suspect hostage– entirely without any legal authorization! He breaks various regulations; acts very quickly! It highlights exactly his actions in this early part of his life and yet showcases those moments; that kind of sharp instinct, gut decisions; these elements later come to be Gibbs’ trademark moves! Those moments become part of his impressive career.
Yet it remains a problem. This action does seem out-of-line, rather problematic from those people who want stability within an official agency. At this point, Gibbs hasn't proved himself. He doesn't possess that skill, reputation; making him quite suspect as he struggles to have those around him truly trusting his decisions. This might demonstrate this conflict of trust in official agencies as a recurring theme in the overarching storyline and highlights the difficulty in establishing this trust and maintaining those important work relationships!
Why the Same Actions are Viewed Differently: Experience Matters!
Harmon's Gibbs in NCIS is pretty much revered; he's totally respected, inspiring trust. But the very same approach is judged harshly in NCIS: Origins. The most important thing: experience! The series itself focuses entirely on this specific conflict: those things which worked or didn't work because of various experiences which helped to generate those resulting skills that only experience provides.
That trust didn’t come easy. Harmon’s Gibbs earned it over those long twelve years before the first NCIS episode (“Yankee White”). The important contrast shows that experienced leaders get to bend rules, they already possess that deep reservoir of skills and that trusted network that enables various people to support the decisions that Harmon's Gibbs made— the kind of authority that makes others see that his approach truly produces positive outcomes which builds up a respected individual. Stowell's Gibbs needs to build up all those things – earning the right to ignore protocols in his more reckless decision-making!
Conclusion: From Reckless Rookie to Legendary Agent
NCIS: Origins might focus on the young, emotionally unstable Gibbs, creating this darker perspective that showcases many difficulties and vulnerabilities. It provides immense thematic and storytelling potential, creating far deeper emotional reactions which only occurs when considering such things: he develops greatly over time; changing that image to be respected by those around him. The key differences emphasize this pivotal change and the incredibly successful transition and highlight what shaped Gibbs into the remarkable figure everyone knows and loves from NCIS. It cleverly uses the prequel to enhance the overall story arcs, creating an enhanced viewership!
